Dustin Johnson Thinks the Chambers Bay Greens Cost Him the U.S. Open

[newtogolf]

Billy Horschel whined about the greens, DJ just cited he felt they contributed to him missing the putt.  I think there's a big difference in how they handled themselves.   It was a tough loss by DJ and I'm sure he could have been a lot more vocal about the course but chose not to go there.

[jbishop15]

Billy Horschel whined about the greens, DJ just cited he felt they contributed to him missing the putt.  I think there's a big difference in how they handled themselves.   It was a tough loss by DJ and I'm sure he could have been a lot more vocal about the course but chose not to go there.

That's generally how I feel. Dude just lost the US Open; I'm gonna give him some slack. And even with Horschel, I can understand where he was coming from. I know that frustration well and can relate. Poulter on the other hand has a history of rude behavior, so he does not get a pass.

[mmoan2]

I think:

a) he pulled the putt, but the bad bounce in question may have exacerbated the miss enough to make it a certain miss,

b) it doesn't matter because Jordan Spieth may have had two bad bounces on Friday that were untelevised add a stroke or two to his score, which makes DJs final putt meaningless then (the old "last shot of a game seems more important than the hundreds of others than came before it effect"),

c) the greens were awful. I watched a lot of the tournament and know with my own eyes that the balls made funny bounces as they crept near the hole on several occasions. I understand fast, difficult greens, but these looked particularly unkempt. Henrik Stenson said "it felt like putting on broccoli." I know he's a little outspoken, but that's a harsh criticism.

d) DJ has a right to comment on the greens. Do we want athletes doing boring, meaningless interviews, or speaking their minds on occasion.

e) if it wasn't for the greens, I prefer Chambers Bay (as a TV viewer) to Pinehurst. I loved the links-style layout, gorgeous views, elevation changes, and need for strategy for shot placement.

[flopster]

One of the best ways to see if in fact he pulled it or it bounced is to hold a straight edge to the screen and intersect the center of the cup and touch the right side of the ball from Dustins view, I think the ball is traveling along a straight line towards the center until it takes a slight turn left just past the second shadow, undoubtedly a firm stroke should have been the way to go here like Brandt Snedeker was doing it, just eliminate all imperfections. I hate the reasoning all players had to putt these greens, because they all did not have the same putts first of all and what always gets interpreted as whining is actually players only wanting golf skill to be the final determining factor not who gets the best breaks, I think the vast majority of these players are well beyond that.

[No Mulligans]

I hate the reasoning all players had to putt these greens, because they all did not have the same putts first of all and what always gets interpreted as whining is actually players only wanting golf skill to be the final determining factor not who gets the best breaks, I think the vast majority of these players are well beyond that.

Yes and in addition, in the long run luck theoritically evens out.

But given the number of putts in a tournament (less than 140), that is definately the short run, extremely short run.  In the short run like this, some players had more bad bounces/rolls than others, luck does come into play and effect results.

I've seen computer simulations of texas holdem (poker) that used the exact same strategies for all 10 players... even after millions of hands, there was a significant variance in the results, some where big winners, some where big losers.  The long run is a lot longer than most people think.

That's the way the cookie crumbles... that's life, nobody said life is fair.

[RFKFREAK]

@RFKFREAK I apologize, I was pretty out of line as that appeared to be pointed directly at you (although I meant it in general and not specifically at you). Classless was an ad hominem and way to strong of a word. Internet forums are a great place to speak ones mind, just as you did.

No worries, I apologize for being out of line for using that emoticon. [quote name="Golfingdad" url="/t/82810/dustin-johnson-thinks-the-chambers-bay-greens-cost-him-the-u-s-open/0_100#post_1160519"]Yup, we definitely differ here.  It's basically the same argument as with Patrick Reed and his "Top 5" comments.  Guy said something once, and gets continually chastised for it for hours and days on end despite it being, in both cases: A)  An answer to a reporters question. B)  Something he likely truly believes. C)  People seem to tend to forget that these celebrities are still normal human beings, they aren't robots. Nothing he said was rude or insulting and it sounds (on paper, I didn't actually hear it) pretty genuine.  Hell, he even admitted that he might have pushed the putt.  So he said what he believed AND admitted that what he believed was possibly not accurate.  For the life of me, I can't understand how you can criticize him for crying and lacking class, based off of that. [/quote] Haha, what can I say, you and I have different viewpoints on it. Maybe it's an East Coast/West Coast thing like it was with Puff Daddy and Sug Knight back in the day. ;)

[Golfingdad]

No worries, I apologize for being out of line for using that emoticon. Haha, what can I say, you and I have different viewpoints on it. Maybe it's an East Coast/West Coast thing like it was with Puff Daddy and Sug Knight back in the day. ;)

Could be ... Lol. :) Puff daddy needs to stop getting in fights with his sons football coaches, btw. Also, random related tidbit; as of this season, Snoop Doggs son is also gonna be playing for UCLA alongside Puffys son. Off topic and doesn't mean anything but I just read about it and you had mentioned his name so I thought of it. ;)

[Bacondivs]

He can't putt for squat. The end. If he is at all serious about being the best golfer in the world he'll be putting every day until his next tournament. Also, his putter is cool looking but has the technology of 200 years ago.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

He can't putt for squat. The end.

I'm not sure it is "the end". DJ is ranked 2nd on tour in putting.

[bm85]

I thought he took too long with the Eagle, and rushed into the birdie attempt.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

I thought he took too long with the Eagle, and rushed into the birdie attempt.

I agree. The downhill 12 footer for birdie was slick, but certainly could have been tapped easier. He got aggressive and tried to make it. Then he rushed the 4' comebacker. He had been struggling with that length putt all day (other than on #17) and he just didn't put a great stroke on it.

[Scotsclaff]

Doesn't matter which way you cut it they all played on the same course and the cream rose to the top.

[krupa]

I overdose on golf channel when I travel because I don't have it at home. They replayed those putts constantly. Definitely didn't see any funny hops.

[Dloy]

....

I think people are looking for every excuse they can find to say Chambers Bay had bad greens. The author of the article (among others) is saying that the bad greens cost DJ a major. Umm what about Spieth? The greens didn't cost him a major.

That's why they play 72 holes, isn't it? You're going to get bounces: some good, some bad, some you deserve, and some you don't. They kind of even out at the end.

Winner

[saevel25]

I'm not sure it is "the end". DJ is ranked 2nd on tour in putting.

He might have the 2nd  least amount of putts per green in regulation, but the actual significance of those putts made are not helping him win.

Strokes Gained Putting

Spieth: T-19th at .504

Johnson: 121st at -0.066

He's really not a good putting from inside of 15 feet.

[Golfingdad]

He got aggressive and tried to make it.

Which, I think, was the right move.  It was a putt to win the US Open, after all, so he should have tried to make it ... but then he should have put a better stroke on the next putt.

[Mr. Desmond]

The players all made mistakes; Justin just had bad timing as to a breakdown, and no more holes for recovery.

Butch and he can work on keeping his head still and maybe an AimPoint class would help.

I think there is no need to go under the microscope and dissect a dead body 10X.

[Moppy]

I saw at least on short putt kick right. It didn't show up in slow motion, which is what the announcers commented on in the replay, but a full speed replay, which I did several times on my DVR because I couldn't believe it, showed it clearly kicked right.

I like the Travelers much better visually too. Who wants to watch the Red Sox play on a desert? Not me.